How to Shoe a Horse

To shoe a horse it is best to let a professional farrier handle the task of trimming and shoeing. Most farriers have gone to specialized schools to become experts in hoof care. But sometimes a good farrier is hard to find and you may have to shoe a horse yourself.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

1. To determine the horseshoe size look at the underside of the horseshoe. If possible, bring an old shoe with you to compare sizes. Buy horseshoes at feed and tack stores or order from the Internet.
2. Have your tools ready and within reach of the area where the horse is to be tied. Having the tools within reach helps you continue the job without putting the horse's hoof down.
3. Clean out the horse's hooves with a hoof pick. Scrape the bottom of the hoof with a sharp hoof knife to smooth the bottom of the hoof and to shape the frog. Use a brush to clean around the outside of the hoof if there is dirt on the hoof.
4. Use a pair of sharp hoof nippers to trim the horse's hooves. Trim them evenly, while leaving a small area to attach the shoe. The nails go through the shoe and hoof, so a small area of gray should be visible. Trimming to the "quick," or pink line, can result in excessive bleeding and injury when the shoe is nailed on.
5. Rasp around the edges of the hoof to smooth them and remove sharp edges. Place the shoe on the bottom of the hoof with the smooth side against the hoof. Starting on one side, place a nail through the hole in the shoe and begin nailing the shoe on. The nail should come out of the side of the hoof above the shoe. Be prepared for some horses to jump around from the pounding of the hammer.
6. Finish nailing the entire horseshoe onto the hoof. The nails must protrude through the side of the hoof about 1/2-inch above the shoe. Bend the nails down and then clip the ends off with the nippers. File down sharp points with the rasp.